A slice of Barcelona in Manchester

"We can play this way in England," Guardiola said after beating Manchester United. "People said we couldn't play the way we did in Barcelona in England but it is possible and we did it."

That just about sums it up for the Catalan manager, who never deviated from his initial plan since arriving at the Etihad. Winning titles is important, as is the way in which they are won. Guardiola has instilled his playing principles on his footballers at City, those values he initially adapted from Dutch pioneer Johann Cruyff.

The Citizens dominate the ball and press relentlessly when they lose it, much like Guardiola's Barcelona. He has proven the naysayers wrong and has disputed the idea that English football has a tendency to be slow on the uptake of foreign footballing values in his second season in charge.

Citing City are yet to win silverware, Guardiola has repeatedly deflected from comparisons with his 'unbeatable' Barcelona side. It is not a carbon copy of that team, but the fundamentals are there and he has his trusted henchmen to thank for that.

Up to 12 members of Pep's backroom staff have been recruited over the years by the Catalan coach, a hierarchy that has played a huge part in Manchester City becoming the Barcelona of England. From goalkeeping coaches to chief executives, fitness manangers to dietitians, Guardiola's sidekicks in the shadows contribute to inculcate a list of footballing ideals while creating a tight-knit squad.

Pep Guardiola is defined by the success he achieved at the Camp Nou, and it unreasonable to expect anything else from him in England. The symmetry does not lie in the institution itself, with City lacking the rich history boasted by one of the most distinguished clubs in the continent, but in the basic principles of how football is played. Just like that, Guardiola has brought a slice of Barcelona to Manchester.